Astigmatism - what you need to know!

You might have heard us mention this term or seen it on your prescription. Despite the fancy name, it's a fairly common, minor imperfection in the shape of your eye, which is generally nothing to worry about. We see it frequently at Blink.

What is Astigmatism?

Ideally, your eye should be perfectly round, like a football. This shape allows light to bend evenly and focus on a single point at the back of your eye, giving you a sharp, crisp image. With astigmatism, the eye is shaped slightly differently, and we usually categorise this in two ways

• Regular Astigmatism - the front surface of the eye (the cornea) or the lens inside is shaped more like a rugby ball. Because the eye is steeper in one direction than the other, light gets scattered and focuses on two different points instead of one. This means your vision can feel blurred or stretched at all distances.

• Irregular Astigmatism - this is much less common and occurs when the curvature of the cornea is uneven or bumpy. This might be the result of an eye injury, corneal scarring, or a specific condition such as keratoconus.

Symptoms of Astigmatism

Astigmatism is typically detected during a routine eye test but it can cause:

• Blurred or distorted vision (lines might look tilted or wavy).

• Eye strain and headaches, especially after concentrating on a screen.

• Difficulty with night driving (e.g. streaking streetlights or glare from car headlights).

If you have any of these symptoms please get in touch with use here at Blink.

How is Astigmatism corrected?

Regular astigmatism is easily corrected with glasses or toric contact lenses for most people. Because the blur happens at a specific angle (or axis), we use precision lenses to redirect the light exactly where it needs to go.

When correcting astigmatism with glasses, the way your frames sit on your face is vital because the axis of your prescription is so specific. Our dispensing team at Blink ensures your glasses are measured and fitted by hand, so the sweet spot of the lens is always exactly where you need it.

Irregular astigmatism can’t always be corrected with standard glasses but it can often be managed beautifully with specialist contact lenses.

We have recently started dispensing ACUVUE OASYS MAX 1-Day MULTIFOCAL for ASTIGMATISM contact lenses which are a game changer for those with astigmatism.

Historically, if you had astigmatism and needed help with both distance and close-up reading vision, finding a comfortable, stable contact lens was incredibly difficult. These lenses use advanced design technology to stay perfectly oriented on the eye, giving you crisp, reliable vision whether you are driving, looking at a computer, or reading a menu.

They come equipped with an OptiBlue™ Light Filter, which filters out harsh blue-violet light from digital screens and bright overhead lighting, reducing glare and keeping your eyes feeling fresh even during a long day at work.

Start with booking your next eye test and we can take it from there.